758 13. COLUBRIDZ 
ior, and fifth or fourth inferior largest, third and fourth 
superior reaching eye, first pair of inferior meeting on 
median line. Genials in two pairs, anterior much larger 
than posterior. Scales smooth, thin, imbricate, in 23 or 
rarely 25 rows. Anal plate not divided. Gastrosteges vary- 
ing in number from 212 to 248. Urosteges in two series of 
from 44 to 57. 
The ground color of the head is black. Across the pre- 
frontals and internasals is a broad transverse bar of white. 
The rostral is white with a black border on the sides and 
above. The nasals, loreal, oculars, and sometimes tempor- 
als have whitish central spots. The labials and genials are 
whitish with blackish edges. The white markings on the 
prefrontals and internasals occupy not more than half the 
area of these plates. Beneath the eye there usually is a 
rather conspicuous enlargement of the dark borders of the 
third and fourth labial plates. Light markings on the post- 
erior portion of the head are infrequent. The pattern on 
the body, like that of L. getulus boylii, is of whitish rings 
on a black or dark brown ground color, but the scales of the 
white rings are marked basally with brown or black, which 
sometimes extends irregularly over the scales so as to greatly 
obscure the rings. The latter are narrow on the back, one to 
two and a half scales in width, widening on the sides to about 
two to five scales, and traversing the belly. The rings 
may be broken on the midline above or below, and alternate 
for a greater or less distance. They vary in number from 
29 to 42 on body and tail. The belly usually is crossed by 
the continuation of the black and white rings, but the whitish 
ventral plates usually are conspicuously marked at their 
bases with dark brown. Rarely, the belly and head are with- 
out whitish markings. 
Length to anus... Vhs) 883 924 1030 1062 1220 
Length of tail... 120 Tale 95 142 142 174 
